[CEO Letter] Beauty in 2026: How AI Is Reshaping Industry Workflows

Dear Team and Partners,

This is Kei Chun, CEO & Co-founder of Trendier AI.

These days, it’s hard to go anywhere without hearing about AI. But what truly matters is not the technology itself — it’s how the way our teams work is actually changing, right now.

If 2025 was the year we proved that data- and AI-driven workflows are viable in real business environments, 2026 will be the year those workflows are fundamentally restructured — faster, tighter, and more execution-driven than ever before.

Today, I’d like to share how the Trendier AI team is preparing for this shift.

AI-Driven Workflows, 10× Faster Execution

Proven First in One of the World's Most Competitive Markets

K-beauty operates in one of the fastest-growing and fiercely competitive beauty markets globally. Trends move instantly, and delays in decision-making translate directly into lost opportunities.

Trendier AI Bootcamp in Seoul 2025

Trendier AI was forged in this exact environment. Through our AI Bootcamp with the Top 100 K-beauty companies, we focused on embedding data directly into daily workflows across R&D, planning, marketing, and retail.

In 2025, K-beauty recorded a historic $11.4 billion in exports. While many factors contributed, a clear pattern emerged: Teams that validate ideas faster, align sooner, and execute with confidence are the ones scaling globally.

Trendier’s approach is built to support this entire product lifecycle—connecting data across every stage of the value chain.

Reimagining the Beauty Value Chain

Seamless data integration from R&D and Planning to Marketing and Retail.

① R&D

From Ingredient Research to Consumer Response Prediction
— in One Day

R&D workflow in Trendier AI: analyzing PDRN efficacy claims and customer pros and cons through a single prompt.

R&D teams are experts at formulation, but validating market response is notoriously slow. By linking ingredient data with consumer reviews, teams can now:

• Map ingredient × benefit combinations launched globally.
• Analyze pros/cons tied to specific claims.
• Compare formula performance across price tiers.

Key ingredient–benefit combinations and customer sentiment drivers for domestic PDRN products (generated in 10 minutes).

② Product Planning

Designing for Success Rates, Not intuition

Product planning workflow in Trendier AI: selecting the right category and market opportunity for a new Amazon US launch.

Instead of fragmented signals, planners now use data to:

• Identify undersupplied sub-categories where demand outpaces supply.
• Define optimal pricing and formats based on purchasing behavior.
• Focus on high-probability opportunities rather than "gut feeling."

Sub-categories on U.S. Amazon where customer demand is rising faster than product supply, with rationale for new market entry.

③ Marketing

Sell with Data, Source with Data

Marketing workflow in Trendier AI: analyzing top-performing thumbnails and generating data-backed creative directions.

Marketing decisions on creatives and copy no longer need to be trial-and-error. Marketers can now:

• Identify visual styles and headlines linked to high conversion.
• Analyze competitor bundles and messaging patterns.
• Turn weeks of analysis into a one-day creative workflow.

Identifying winning thumbnails, messaging, discounts, and bundles with AI to drive faster creative execution.

④ Retail Sourcing

Faster Buying with Market Signals

Retail sourcing in Trendier AI: identifying fast-growing keywords and high-potential SKUs.

Retail sourcing has traditionally relied on lagging sales reports. With Trendier AI, buyers can:

• Spot rising micro-trends and keywords before saturation.
• Identify high-potential SKUs through review velocity analysis.
• Make data-backed buying decisions to secure winning inventory faster.

Using AI to turn keyword growth, SKU performance, and review momentum into one-day market insights.

Trendier AI in 2026

Expanding Our Global Presence

Trendier AI Officially Selected for the NRF Big Show 2026 Innovators Showcase

As we enter 2026, Trendier is becoming more active in global industry conversations around AI-driven decision-making in beauty and retail.

This January, Trendier AI will be featured at the NRF Big Show Innovators Showcase in New York, recognized among companies shaping the future of commerce. 

Later in the month, we will also participate in Cosmoprof North America, continuing our engagement with global beauty and retail partners.

A global journey connecting Trendier AI across Tokyo, Taiwan, Seoul, Las Vegas, Ilsan, Los Angeles, Bangkok, and Hong Kong.

Alongside these moments, Trendier’s global presence continues to expand. Trendier Library is now used in 134 countries, with over 2.5 million report views, supported by growing industry networks across Asia and the U.S.

Looking ahead, 2026 is about sustaining momentum and staying connected. Through our global webinar series and continued participation in key industry events, we will share how AI-driven workflows are helping teams move faster and make more confident decisions.

Updates on upcoming events can be found here.

The real advantage ahead will not come from having more data, but from how effectively teams turn insight into action. At Trendier, we are focused on building AI-driven workflows that shorten decision cycles, improve cross-team alignment, and support confident execution across global markets.

We look forward to building this next phase together, and we sincerely appreciate your continued trust and partnership.

Warm regards,

Kei Chun

CEO, Trendier AI